‘Centre has put Delhi Budget on hold’
New Delhi: Amid simmering confrontations between the AAP-led Delhi and BJP-led Centre, the Budget for the national Capital will not be presented on Tuesday as scheduled earlier.
As per AAP, in a ‘historic’ first, the Delhi government has been stopped from presenting Budget 2023-24 in the Assembly on Tuesday by the Central government.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, slamming the Centre, said: “There will be no Budget presentation in Delhi tomorrow (Tuesday). It has happened for the first time in the history of India that the Budget of Delhi government was to be presented and this evening the Central government has put a stop to it.”
“From tomorrow, the employees of Delhi government, doctors and teachers will not get their salary... This is out and out hooliganism,” he had added.
As per sources, the Ministry of Home Affairs sought clarifications from the Delhi government regarding the allocation of funds with focus on advertisements instead of the infrastructure sector and other development segments. An MHA official claimed that “AAP has not responded to any of our queries regarding the Budget yet”.
However, AAP supremo Kejriwal argued that the Central government has resorted to ‘gundagardi’. While speaking at a news channel’s programme, Kejriwal stated: “They (Central government) gave us support in Punjab but in Delhi they fight with us and interfere in our matters.” He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to let the Budget presentation take place as scheduled. He further added that “we need to step away from the dirty politics and let the Budget take place for the betterment of the nation”.
According to sources, Delhi LG V K Saxena approved the Annual Financial Statement 2023-2024 with certain observations on March 9 and forwarded the file to the CM’s office.
The government of Delhi, thereafter sought the approval of the President as mandated by the law, by sending a letter to the Home Ministry.
The Home Ministry conveyed its observations to the Delhi government on March 17. However, the file has not been received by the LG’s office which is to be sent by the CM.
Delhi Finance minister Kailash Gahlot, in a statement, explained that the MHA had expressed concerns regarding the Budget and refused its approval through a letter sent to the Chief Secretary on March 17. He further added: “The Chief Secretary of Delhi kept the letter hidden for three days. I learned about it only at 2 pm today — March 20, 2023. The file with the MHA’s letter was put up to me officially only at 6 pm today — just a day before the Budget was to be presented in the Delhi Assembly. Subsequently, we have responded to the MHA’s concerns and submitted the file back to the LG, after the CM’s approval, at 9 pm on Monday. The role of the Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary of Delhi in delaying Delhi’s Budget ought to be investigated.”
Gahlot said: “It is also unfortunate that the MHA is spreading falsehoods about the Delhi government’s Budget. Nearly Rs 22,000 crore have been allocated for capital expenditure next year, whereas the allocation for advertisements is only Rs 550 crore, which is similar to that of last year. The concerns raised by the MHA are irrelevant and seemingly done only to scuttle the Budget for next year.”
Sources from the Raj Niwas said the file was received in LG Sectt at 9:25 pm and was sent back to the Chief Minister at 10:05 pm after approval of the LG for further action as per law. Furthermore, after going through the proposal, the LG noted: “Since Delhi is the country’s Capital and also a large metropolis in which the need for creation and improvements of infrastructure is extremely important, the allocation for Capital Projects does not appear to be sufficient.”
He also noted that the Budget proposes a very significant allocation for meeting the shortfall in operating expenses of DJB and DTC. In effect, this would also amount to a subsidy given to these agencies, which are not able to recover the revenue expenditure. This aspect also needs to be closely monitored and addressed in future.
He added: “It is noted that expenditure incurred by the Directorate of Information & Publicity as per the Revised Estimate 2022-23 is Rs 272.21 crore against the Budget Estimate of Rs 511.64 crore. However, the allocation for the Budget Estimate 2023-24 is Rs 557.24 crore, which seems incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”
Gahlot, on Monday, tabled an outcome Budget of the Kejriwal government and also tabled an Economic Survey, 2022-23 report in the ongoing Budget session of the Delhi Assembly.
Earlier on Monday, the Assembly was adjourned till Tuesday 11 am.
